Category: Miami Heat Blog

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Miami Heat re-sign Caleb Martin

The Miami HEAT have re-signed forward Caleb Martin.

“Caleb is a multi-position player with tremendous energy that had a career year with us,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “He works hard and deserves this as much as any young player in the league. We are extremely happy he has decided to come back.”

Martin, who was originally signed by the HEAT to a two-way contract on September 14 and later converted to a standard contract on February 15, appeared in 60 games (12 starts) with Miami last season and averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 22.9 minutes while shooting 50.7 percent from the field, 41.3 percent from three-point range and 76.3 percent from the foul line. In his 12 starts, Martin averaged 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 52.8 percent from the field and a perfect 12-of-12 from the line. He set single season career highs in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goals made, three-point field goals made, free throws made and field goal percentage. He finished third on the team in blocks, fourth in dunks and tied for fourth in three-point plays. He led the team in steals and blocks 16 times each, in plus/minus on seven occasions, in scoring three times and in minutes and rebounds twice each while also topping the reserves in steals a team-high 23 times. Additionally, Martin appeared in 17 postseason games on Miami’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals and averaged 4.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.3 minutes of action.

Martin has now appeared in 131 regular season games (16 starts) during his three-year NBA career and has averaged 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 19.1 minutes while shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three-point range and 72.5 percent from the foul line. He has also appeared in 28 career G League games (all starts) and averaged 21.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.61 steals and 36.9 minutes while shooting 47 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range.

Miami Heat sign rookie Nikola Jovic

The Miami HEAT have signed their first round draft pick (27th overall) Nikola Jović.

Jović, who was named the 2022 All-Adriatic League Top Prospect of the Year, appeared in 25 games with Mega Basket last season and averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 27.2 minutes while shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three-point range and 75.4 percent from the foul line. He finished second on the team in scoring average, field goals made and three-point field goals made and third in rebounds per game. Jović scored in double-figures 16 times, including three 20-point games, while attempting 236 field goals, 118 from two-point range and 118 from three-point range. The 19-year-old was named to the All-Tournament Team while representing Serbia in the 2021 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup and was named MVP of the Belgrade qualifier in the 2020-21 Euroleague Tournament.

Jović is currently participating with the HEAT’s Summer League team in both the California Classic in San Francisco and the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas with Miami’s first game today vs. the Lakers.

2022-23 Miami Heat preseason home game schedule

The Miami HEAT announced their 2022-23 preseason home schedule today with all three games being played inside FTX Arena. The HEAT will start their preseason action on October 4 vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves (7:30PM) with additional home games on October 10 vs. the Houston Rockets (7:30PM) and October 12 vs. the New Orleans Pelicans (7:30PM).

The preseason home schedule is as follows:

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (ET)

Oct. 4 vs. Minnesota FTX Arena 7:30 PM

Oct. 10 vs. Houston FTX Arena 7:30 PM

Oct. 12 vs. New Orleans FTX Arena 7:30 PM

REMINDER: This is just their home schedule. Expect a road game or two to be added to this.

Miami Heat reportedly extend qualifying offer to Caleb Martin

Via the Miami Herald:

The Heat extended a $2.1 million qualifying offer to forward Caleb Martin on Tuesday, as expected, to retain the right to match outside offers up to the $10.3 million midlevel exception to re-sign him this offseason. In other words, the qualifying offer means that Martin will be a restricted free agent this summer…

But the Heat’s resources to re-sign Martin are limited, as it does not hold his Bird rights and isn’t on track to have cap space. Miami does not have the ability to match an outside offer to Martin above the $10.3 million mid-level exception for next season.

Udonis Haslem discusses Bam Adebayo’s role in the Miami Heat offense

Here’s Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem discussing the role star center Bam Adebayo plays in the team’s offense, via the Miami Herald:

The Miami Heat doesn’t evaluate center Bam Adebayo based on shot attempts and points. Teammates and coaches appreciate Adebayo for everything else he provides on the court.

So when the outside conversation regarding Adebayo’s offensive aggression finds its way into the locker room, those within the organization disregard it.

“I don’t pay attention. They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” Heat veteran and team captain Udonis Haslem said to the Miami Herald ahead of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night. “95 percent of people don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to being aggressive. He can’t just go out there, put his head down and go forward. He’s got to get other guys involved. Bam’s heart is in the right place. He’s trying to do the right things.”

In Friday’s Game 6 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, Adebayo finished with just six points on six shots and committed four turnovers. That’s not the type of production many have come to expect from a player on a max contract like Adebayo.

But it was Adebayo’s rebounding, screening, dribble handoffs and rolls to the basket to keep the Heat’s offense flowing that teammates and coaches noticed more than his points and shot attempts.

Heat guard Kyle Lowry remains out heading into Game 2 vs. Celtics

The Heat remain without starting guard Kyle Lowry. Here’s the Miami Herald:

The Heat will be without Kyle Lowry for an eighth time in postseason, and a fourth game in a row, when Miami meets Boston in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday (8:30 p.m., ESPN).

Lowry was listed as out for the game. He didn’t practice on Wednesday but did “light shooting” on the side, according to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat is 7-0 without him in postseason.

Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are listed as questionable with hamstring injuries, but players listed as questionable by the Heat almost always play in postseason.

Meanwhile, the Celtics listed Al Horford (COVID protocols) as doubtful and guard Marcus Smart (mid-foot sprain) as probable.

Celtics injury list update heading into ECF Game 2 vs. Heat

Here is the latest Celtics injury list update, via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (right midfoot sprain) is listed as probable for Thursday’s Game 2 against the Miami Heat, while Boston center Al Horford (health and safety protocols) is doubtful.

Also, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was sick Wednesday with a non-COVID-19 illness.

Both starters missed the team’s 118-107 loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Miami on Tuesday night.

As of this evening, Heat guard Kyle Lowry is still listed as Out.

Kyle Lowry limited in Game 3 return for Heat against Sixers

Kyle Lowry had returned, and he had returned home.

The Miami Heat point guard and Philadelphia native’s next step is to reclaim his identity.

Lowry was plainly out of sorts in the Heat’s 99-79 road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, cutting the Heat’s lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.

“I had one good day of working out, kind of a half day, and I’ve just got to find a rhythm,” Lowry said, with the Heat turning their attention to Sunday’s 8 p.m. Game 4 at Wells Fargo Center. “I didn’t expect it to be amazing [Friday]. I didn’t expect to have zero points, but just trying to get a feel for the game, just be out there, especially in this hostile situation.”

Lowry was injured during the second half of the Heat’s first-round road loss to the Atlanta Hawks on April 22. He missed four games before returning. He played 25:21 on Friday night, finishing 0 for 4 from the field, including 0 for 2 on 3-pointers, without a free-throw attempt, while also grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.

Source: Sun Sentinel

Tyler Herro wins 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro has been named the 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year for his contributions in a reserve role, the NBA announced today. This is the first Sixth Man honor for Herro, who becomes the first player to win the annual award with the Heat.

Herro received 488 total points (96 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love finished in second place with 214 points (three first-place votes). Phoenix Suns forward Cam Johnson finished in third place with 128 points (one first-place vote).

Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. To be eligible for the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, a player had to have come off the bench in more games than he started.

In his third NBA season, Herro averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.6 minutes in 66 games (10 starts). His scoring average of 20.8 points as a reserve was the highest in the NBA. He became the fifth player to average at least 20.0 points off the bench (minimum 50 games as a reserve) since starts began being tracked in the 1970-71 season, joining Thurl Bailey (1987-88), Eddie Johnson (1988-89), Ricky Pierce (1989-90, 1990-91) and Lou Williams (2017-18, 2018-19).

Herro’s eight 30-point games off the bench were tied for the third most since the 1970-71 season and his 20 25-point games were tied for the fourth most. He ranked 20th in the NBA in free throw percentage (86.8), 21st in points per game, 26th in three-point field goal percentage (39.9) and 32nd in three-pointers made (175).

Setting a single-season franchise record with 1,162 points off the bench, Herro helped the Heat finish with a 53-29 record and earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. Miami is currently facing the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with Game 2 to be played on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Herro, 22, the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 175 games over three seasons with the Heat. In the 2019-20 season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team and set a Miami single-game playoff rookie scoring record with 37 points against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler says knee should be okay for second round Game 1

Here’s ESPN.com with some good news on the Miami Heat:

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is confident he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night as he continues to deal with right knee soreness.

“It’s all right,” Butler said after Saturday’s practice. “We got another day in between. Get out there, rip and ride. And I know it will be ready to hold up come Monday, but the time off has been great for myself and so many other guys that are nicked up. Everybody’s ready to compete.”

Butler sat out Game 5 of the Heat’s series-clinching win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, but he looked solid taking jumpers and moving around the floor a little bit after Saturday’s practice. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said all the players, a group that included Butler and veteran guard Kyle Lowry, were able to do “a little bit more than [Friday].” Heat guard Tyler Herro said he would be ready for Game 1 after missing Friday’s practice while dealing with a cold.